The Core of Research Performing Organisations
There are currently 307 R&D Units in all domains of knowledge, from life and health sciences to social sciences and humanities, from engineering and exact sciences to natural and environmental sciences. There are approximately 22 000 researchers associated to R&D Units.
Each R&D Unit comprises a team of researchers, equipment and technical infrastructures. R&D Units are the core of the Portuguese Scientific and Technological System, performing not only research activities, but also promoting advanced studies in all scientific and technological areas, and involving the general public and society at large in their findings.
R&D Units are financed and evaluated by FCT, the Portuguese public funding agency for science and technology. R&D Units are periodically evaluated by an international panel of experts and they are awarded a qualitative grade, which then determines the level of funding to be awarded until the next review takes place.
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